The Freischtz Phenomenon: Opera As Cultural Mirror

Der Freischtz, a German opera composed by Carl Maria von Weber, premiered to great acclaim in 1821. It eventually became a national treasure in its homeland as well as an enduring fixture in the international repertory. Wilhelm Furtwngler, a renowned conductor of the twentieth century, proclaimed it to be an utterly unique opera and one of the greatest masterworks of world literature. The story is deeply rooted in German folklore. It involves rustic life in the forest, threatening supernatural machinations, strong communal bonds, and the triumph of love and simple faith over dark power. Der Freischtz is not a typical opera. There are two reasons for considering it to be a singular cultural phenomenon: (1) an extraordinary charisma in the Germanic sphere, and (2) a fateful vulnerability to alteration and exploitation in its long performance history, which undermined the operas integrity while refl ecting a wide range of ideas and attitudes in Western culture. The ultimate goal of this book is to restore the integrity of the original Freischtz and its depth of reference as well.